The hearth shield of this invention is adapted to prevent serious injury to small children, infants and invalids who may inadvertently run into or fall against the sharp and rugged edges of fireplace hearths such as are elevated from the floor. Most fireplace hearths are provided with slate and/or stone caps, having sharp edges, and these present a potential for sever head, facial and other injuries to persons, especially children, and so it is to protect these youngsters that the present invention is directed. In this invention, specific attention has been directed to facilitate installation and removal of the assembly, to simplicity of construction and economy in manufacture of the device, especially its structural frame. Additionally, all assembly units manufactured hereunder are adapted to accommodate adjustable and extension for handy assembly to hearths of varying external dimension. The shield construction is such that there exist exteriorly no sharp or abrasive projections such as screws, staples, fasteners, etc., nor are there any protruding screw heads, fastener caps, staples, frame parts of the like. All points of contact of the device are either rounded or padded to preclude damage to hearth construction with which the unit comes into contact.
The present hearth shield assembly accordingly provides a means for adjustably setting and fixing a hearth guard upon the hearth in such a way that is may initially be fitted to the hearth by means of a coactive relationship between overlapping interfitted frame angles, the tightening rod and angle, the angle assembly being adjustably refined by a tightening screw, adjacent a turn buckle located at one and of the tightening rod, as hereinafter described.